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Monday, May 31, 2010

I hope everyone who observes Memorial Day has a pleasant day off (if applicable), and, if I may include a rare moment of seriousness, I encourage all of us to take a moment to think about those who do the messy life risking for the sake of the rest of us, regardless of how we may feel about the actual battles, locations, politics, or circumstances under which they do or have done so.

And if you can spare another moment afterward, give a moment of thought to the current debate over the abolition of state-sponsored discrimination against gay men and women who wish to serve in the military, remembering that while Don't Ask, Don't Tell was at the time of its passage in 1993 (under our last Democratic president) a huge victory for gay rights (remember, before then it was more like "Ask (or Assume), Dismiss (or Worse)" - DADT was a compromise measure President Clinton, who vocally advocated allowing all citizens to serve regardless of sexual orientation), it has been a long road to 2010 where it appears the whole mess may soon be behind the American armed forces. And consider how far the road continues to stretch ahead before equal rights are granted in the U.S. for those of all sexual orientations...and how insanely ridiculous the entire thing really is.